Zigzag shaped chutes have long been utilized to lower fruits and vegetables from an upper level to a lower level, to avoid damaging the commodities. The falling speed of the commodities is reduced by frequently changing the direction that the commodity is falling within the chute.
One problem with prior art zigzag chutes is in the need to remove the chute as the storage facility is filled with the commodity, to prevent damage to the chute under the pressure of the commodity within the storage facility. To avoid damage to the chute, prior art chutes are designed to be progressively raised with the level of the commodity in the facility. However, this capability complicates the structure of the chute, requiring additional time and labor in construction, and adding to the overall weight of the finished chute.
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved ladder for lowering fragile commodities within a storage facility.
Another object is to provide a ladder which is resiliently collapsible so that it may remain in a storage facility after filling of the facility, and yet be reusable.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a ladder which is light weight, simple in operation and economical to manufacture.
Yet another object is to provide a ladder which is adjustable to cause different flow rates of commodities therethrough.
These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.